Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There is no question that we are constrained in the area of state-led interventions by EU rules and regulations. The Government cannot go into areas that are not viable from a commercial point of view and wrap fibre around a particular infrastructure of its choosing. There has been a lot of advice sought on this and a lot of legal advice given. As well as ESB and Eircom, any other provider, such as UPC, to give an example, can choose to compete. The process must be open to everybody, including wireless providers. It is not confined to those companies providing one particular technology. The firm advice we have been given is that we must be technology neutral.

The Deputy referred to the particular challenges that present in respect of the islands. I am very clear in my conversations with the officials that we should be treating all areas equally and ensuring we deliver to the most peripheral areas in the country, including the islands, even where they are not commercially viable.

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